I Don't Know What to Say: Part 1
by angelkittysmith
Summary: My childhood friends Sarah, James, Henri, and I discuss the aspects of communication and knowing what to say in certain situations as we look back on certain moments from our childhood. Many episodes of the series are used as references in the story. NOTE: I do NOT own Liberty's Kids.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Dinner and Games

One cool and rainy Saturday in September 2018, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "How was the rest of your summer?" I asked. "It was fine," James replied. "We heard you went back to Gettysburg for a week," I stated. "Is that true?" "Yes, it is," Henri replied. "But, our parents still live with us." "Your parents are such dandy people," I stated. "When they got married at the Natrona Heights Presbyterian Church, that was the start of our eternal friendship!" "Eternal, huh?" James asked. "I wanted to ask you guys: does living in Shadyside feel different than living in Oakland?" I asked. "A little bit," Sarah replied. "Just look on the bright side: at least you guys live closer to me," I pointed out. I served everybody some dinner. I served myself a lightened bacon cheeseburger with fruit salad, Sarah ate chicken tenders with macaroni and cheese, James ate another cheeseburger with more fruit salad, and Henri ate a pork BBQ sandwich with potato salad. "Aw man, I was hoping for something better to eat," Henri stated. "Like what, Henri?" I asked. "Oh, I don't know, spaghetti and salad," Henri replied. "Like we ate at Sarah and James's honors banquet." "What's wrong with the meal you have to eat?" I asked Henri. "I just think that tomato sauce is better than barbecue sauce, and salad dressing is better than mayonnaise," Henri stated. "Well, as they stated when you were 10 years old, you can't have dessert until after you finish your dinner," I told Henri. "So, eat up!" After we ate our dinners, I served everybody a cheesecake that I baked myself. "I knew that you guys would love this cake since the last time I served it was when you said it reminded you of the cake you ate at your parents' wedding and the honors banquet!" "Yum!" Henri stated. He then gobbled down a slice of cheesecake. "Thanks for thinking of us, Angel," James stated. "Yeah, you're such a nice person," Sarah agreed. After we finished dessert, we played some of our favorite games, like a Would You Rather? game, an online trivia game using our smartphones, and an online Family Feud game. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Importance of Knowing What to Say

The third Saturday of September 2018 was hot when my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "How was your week?" James asked me. "Staying at my dad's house in Natrona Heights was a lot of fun," I told my friends. "I missed seeing my dad a lot and he missed seeing me, too." "What did you guys all do?" Henri asked. "Today, we went to the Pitt Panthers football game at Heinz Field," I explained. "Was it fun?" James asked. "Yes, it was," I replied. "As a matter of fact, it reminded me of one of our early outings together as kids." "What was that, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "It was a baseball game at James's high school," I explained. "I wish you guys were here with me, even though it was supposed to be for just me and my dad." "That's okay," James stated. "You and your dad needed some special time alone together." "We would have loved to come, but we were busy with other things," Sarah explained. "Speaking of baseball, how many more games do the Pirates have before their season is done?" "About 6 or 7 more, I believe," James replied. "So, what were you guys busy doing today on this hot September day?" I asked. "Well, Angel," Sarah told me, "we did some volunteer work at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium for Under the Sea Day today." "What all did you do?" I asked. "We trained the sea mammals to do tricks, cleaned up their cages, and even sold some cold refreshments outdoors," Sarah explained to me. "Cold refreshments?" Henri asked. "Isn't that like what we sold on another unseasonably hot day that was not in the summertime?" "Yes, Henri," James replied. "Lemonade is, indeed, a cold refreshment. And, believe it or not, we were actually doing volunteer work back then, too!" "You were volunteering to sell some popular summer beverage at an unseasonably early time, huh?" Sarah asked. "Well, I thought my schoolwork was way more important that day." It was time for dinner. "What are we having to eat?" Henri asked. "Chinese food?" "No, Henri," I replied. "We are serving oven-fried catfish, in order to keep with our "Under the Sea" theme of the day." "No fair," Henri complained. "Can't we just compromise and eat shrimp fried rice instead of pork fried rice?" "Be quiet and eat your dinner, Henri," I told him. We all sat down to eat dinner. "So, you guys liked volunteering even as young teenagers?" I asked. "I personally think that we should volunteer at least once a month," James told me, "since it's so much fun." "Do you guys know some other reasons why we should volunteer?" I asked. "It helps teach work ethic and promotes a good cause, as well as to give back," Sarah replied. "It also involves networking, and you can add it to your resume," Henri chimed in. "Let's research some organizations that are looking for volunteers, which allow groups to volunteer together, and we can volunteer at any time during the day on Saturdays." "I think we should do some more fundraisers like we did at the zoo today by making lemonade, ice cream, and T-shirts to sell to give to funds," James suggested. "We should do street cleaning, or adopt a highway, or even watch the wild," Sarah suggested. "I would like to work at a food pantry or food bank, since I am always hungry," Henri stated, licking his lips. "This time around, I would rather have you guys teach some material to me, instead of me telling you everything," I told my friends. "It's just to see how much you guys know about, that's all." "What would you like us to do together on the weekends?" Sarah asked me. "We should review what to say in certain situations, talk about those topics, engage in meaningful volunteer experiences, and do this all while navigating situations with our own group dynamic, like expressing our needs and wants, taking turns, being supportive to our peers, and controlling our own frustrations," I replied. "This also means that I should have something prepared each week in case I need to lead group, and also leave each week knowing what to say in a certain situation, as I got sent home from work due to calling my boss an inappropriate nickname." "I want to give one positive comment to a peer each week, like I did with peers at the baseball game and for getting help with my homework on the hot spring day," Sarah added. "I want to check in with group members weekly about the progress of their presentations, just like at the baseball game and the lemonade sale," James added. "I want to have an alternate activity planned for each meeting, since I didn't go to the baseball game and I can learn how to make my own Chinese food, since we didn't have it today, unlike that one day," Henri chimed in. "Those are good goals to have," I agreed with my friends. Since there was still some time left, we played some Family Feud on my computer. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Making New Friends

One cool Saturday in late September 2018, I went with my mentor, Jenna Moser and her sister, Jill to meet my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Shadyside. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Do I know you guys?" James asked. "Yes, I believe so," Jenna replied. "We met each other walking down Beechwood Boulevard to the Blue Slide Playground at Frick Park before we went to eat Japanese food for dinner with some of your other friends," Jill remembered. "Oh right," Henri stated. "I remember that, too." "I know who you are now, Sarah," Jenna pointed out. "You're one of Angel's good friends, along with Carly and Alex." "I know who you are now, too, Jenna," Sarah agreed. "Some questions I remember asking you on our walk down Beechwood Boulevard include me telling you who I am and you telling me who you were, asking you how it was going, asking you if you have seen _Ant Man and the Wasp_ , asking you if you would like a piece of gum, and also asking you what time it was." "We were just getting ready to sit down and eat some lunch," Jenna told us. "Are you guys going to eat anything?" "Yes, Jenna," James replied. "We have leftover pizza we ordered last night from Pizza Perfectta." "Well, Angel, Jenna, and I are about to eat salad sandwiches for our lunch," Jill stated. "Salad sandwiches?" Henri asked. Sarah, James, and Henri pulled out half of a large cheese pizza to eat for lunch. Sarah paused while eating a slice of pizza. "What are you thinking about, Sarah?" I asked. "Some questions to get to know Jenna better," Sarah replied. She suddenly thought of some questions. "When is your birthday, Jenna?" Sarah asked. "November 27, 1991," Jenna replied. "That's cool," Sarah remarked. "My birthday is in November, too, just three days after yours." "Well, my birthday is in June, and I have been learning to drive well before my 16th birthday," James added. "Jenna is the only mentor I have had who can actually drive a car," I told Sarah, James, and Henri. "Do you want to know something cool?" I asked my friends. "I drove by Cheswick on the 1 Freeport Road bus today, passing by the car dealer where James got his car and the defunct Pizza Hut that we went to for dinner." "What is your favorite color, Jenna?" Sarah asked. "Red," Jenna replied. "I like orange best," Jill added. "What is your least favorite color?" "Black," Henri replied. "Even though we had to wear all black clothes one day in order to blend into a black classroom with all black objects." "I like the color red, too, Jenna," Sarah agreed. "But, I think that pink is a nice color, too!" "Sarah bought a brand new cashmere sweater at Marshall's yesterday," James told us. "It looks just like the one I remember from when we were teenagers, but a touch darker," I told Sarah. "Well, the fall season really is here, and stores are selling fall fashions now," Jenna told us. "Angel always loved my fashion sense when we were friends," Sarah stated. "Didn't you, Angel?" "My favorite color is blue," James added. "My favorite color is green," Henri chimed in. "Do you like to cook, Jenna?" Sarah asked. "Yes, and our neighbors love to cook, as well," Jenna replied. "Do you know Matt Mifflin and his sisters?" "Of course we do," Sarah replied. "We like cooking, too, but on Fridays we like to order pizza," James added. "Pizza Perfectta is one of the best pizza parlors in Shadyside," Henri stated, licking his lips. "Are there any other Pizza Huts in the area, since the one in Cheswick closed?" Jill asked. "Oh yes," I replied. "There are plenty of Pizza Hut restaurants around this area." "How many people are in your family, Jenna?" Sarah asked. "4 people: me, my sister, Jill, and our mom and dad, but they live in Altoona," Jenna replied. "Our parents live in Gettysburg," Sarah added. "My mom and James and Henri's dad." "But, they come and visit every once in a while," James pointed out. "I kind of like that it is just the three of us living together," Henri chimed in. "Do you have your own room, Jenna?" Sarah asked. "No, I share my room with Jill," Jenna replied. "We sleep in bunk beds." "James and I sleep in bunk beds, too," Henri agreed. "I like sleeping on the top bunk," James added. "I have my own bedroom, however," Sarah pointed out, "and sometimes, Angel is allowed to sleep there with me as a guest." "Wow, Angel sleeps in our room as a guest, too," Jenna added. "So, what else would you guys like to do today?" I asked my friends. "Do you want to walk down Beechwood Boulevard to Frick Park again?" Sarah asked. "It's such a beautiful day outside for that." "Sure," Jenna agreed. "We can do that." We then set off for a walk down Beechwood Boulevard to Frick Park. "So, I heard you guys want to do some volunteering in the community," Jenna stated. "Is that true?" "Yes, Jenna," James replied. "I have already reached out to Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and The Greater Food Bank of Pittsburgh." "Do you guys not want to volunteer at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium anymore?" I asked. "No, because we need special training to do that," Sarah explained to me. "We only volunteered there for 'Under the Sea Day' last Saturday." "We went to the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium over Labor Day weekend as one of seven neighborhoods we explored," I told everyone. "What were the other six neighborhoods you visited?" Sarah asked. "We went to the Square Cafe in Regent Square for breakfast, the Frick Art and Historical Center in Point Breeze, some miscellaneous stores in Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, bowling and shopping in Lawrenceville, and dinner at the Church Brew Works, along with some late-night activities in Bloomfield," I explained. We spent some time playing at the Blue Slide Playground. When it was time for dinner, we chose Napoli's Pizzeria in Squirrel Hill to eat at. Since the American Girl book was originally a birthday present for Hannah, Jenna said that she would buy Sarah, James, and Henri a copy of their own. Pretty soon, it was time for me, Jenna, and Jill to head back home. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Small Talk

The last Saturday of September 2018 was cool when I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Shadyside. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. Sarah made us some of her favorite fruits and vegetables to have during the meeting: asparagus, leeks, broccoli, green beans, poblano chile peppers, blueberries, purple potatoes, spaghetti squash, savoy cabbage, grapefruits, rutabagas, and kale. "Wow, that is a lot of fruits and vegetables you have, Sarah!" I exclaimed. "I didn't eat lunch yet, so I wanted to try something healthy to energize my mood," Sarah explained. "I liked meeting your friend Jenna, Angel. I loved making small talk with her, which is what I would like to talk about with you guys today." We all sat down at the table. "Jenna was nice enough to go to Barnes and Noble and buy us a copy of _American Girl: A Smart Girl's Guide to Knowing What to Say_ , so we don't have to borrow her young neighbor, Hannah's copy anymore," Sarah explained. "Now, I would define small talk as times when the conversation is easy and light. One is not sharing his or her deepest darkest secrets, but it is still an important part of everyday conversation. Small talk says that I want to know you better, that I care about you, and that what you say matters." "Sarah, could you serve me some stir-fried asparagus and green beans, please?" I politely asked. Sarah got some asparagus and green beans and put them on a plate for me. "Thanks, Sarah," I thanked. "Do you remember the questions that you asked Jenna when you first met her prior to Japanese dinner at Yokoso Steakhouse with Alex, Justin, and Max?" "Yes, I told Jenna my name and asked her what her name was, asked her how it was going, if she has seen _Ant Man and the Wasp_ , if she would like a piece of gum, and if she knew what time it was," Sarah remembered. "What are some other questions I could have asked Jenna that day?" "You could have asked her how her day was, or at least talk about some current events going on, like the death of well-known singers like Aretha Franklin and Mac Miller," James pointed out. "Good point, James," Sarah agreed, "but as far as I remembered, this was at the end of July and Aretha Franklin died on August 16 and Mac Miller died on September 7." "You could have asked her how her job was going," Henri chimed in. "Did you not know that Jenna works with Angel sometimes at Goodwill in Lawrenceville, Henri?" Sarah asked. "I personally think that you should have asked her what brought her here or at least gave a compliment on her car since she drove us down Beechwood Boulevard," I told Sarah. "How about the questions you asked Jenna just last Saturday in order to know her better?" "Oh right," Sarah stated. "I asked Jenna when her birthday was, what her favorite color was, if she liked to cook, how many people were in her family, and if she has her own room." Sarah paused for a second. "Do you guys know some other questions I could have asked Jenna last weekend?" "You could have asked her about her favorite food or her favorite restaurant," James replied. "Remember how we were talking about Pizza Hut and all those other good pizza restaurants?" "How about this?" Henri asked. "What do you consider more boring- watching paint dry or grass grow?" Sarah laughed out loud at that. "Henri, that is more of a 'Would You Rather?' question, but okay," Sarah agreed. "You could have asked her where she was from and what her zodiac sign was," I told Sarah. "I already knew that Jenna and her sister lived in Point Breeze, Angel," Sarah told me, "and her zodiac sign is the same as mine- a Sagittarius!" "Can you also serve me some broccoli and blueberries?" I asked Sarah. "These are 2 of my favorite foods." Sarah served me a plate of broccoli and blueberries. "Now, let's name a time when we were the new people, and some things that we could have said," Sarah told us. "Here's an example: When I was new at Freeport Area High School, I said, 'Hi, I am Sarah. How is it going? OK if I sit here?' Now, you guys try it." "One summer, I just arrived at camp and walked in the cabin to find three sets of eyes staring at me, and I said, 'Hi, I am Angel. So are the bunks first come, first served?'" "When my teacher put me on a committee to choose library books, I said, 'Hi, guys! I am James. I love to read, so this should be a lot of fun.'" "When I joined Boy Scouts back in 4th grade, I was asked to tell everyone a little about myself, so I stated my name, age, siblings, and any hobbies I had." "Now, those are all good examples," Sarah agreed. "But, here's the thing: You should never share private information until you know the person better, sharing your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, also known as your point of view, will help your friendship grow, and it is also important to really care about what others think." "Wait up, Sarah, could you pass me some more purple potatoes and grapefruit?" I asked. Sarah made me a new plate with purple potatoes and grapefruit on it. "Now, let's think of something we said when someone else was new," Sarah continued. "When I wanted to meet the new girl Betsy, and she looked really shy, I said 'Hi, I am James. Are you finding everything okay?' I also wanted to invite her to get together outside of school for the first time, so I found out about the school dance and asked her if she would like to go with me to the dance." "When I wanted to meet the new girl on the soccer team, but I was not sure what to say to her, I said 'Hi, I am Angel. What position do you like to play?'", I told Sarah. "When I wanted to welcome the new boy to my scouting troop, I invited him to make raffia flowers with us," Henri stated. "Good examples, guys," Sarah stated. "When the new boy, Nathan, was assigned as my science partner, I told him that it was nice to meet him and asked if he ever had to make invisible ink before." "Is that the same guy who cheated off your history exam back in school?" I asked Sarah. "Yes, Angel," Sarah replied. "That was him. But, here is the thing: if you have a tough time getting a conversation started, just look around you and find a person, place, or thing to talk about and strike up a conversation." Sarah showed us some examples from the _American Girl_ book. We also did a role play on talking with adults based on questions in the book. Sarah asked questions 1 and 2 to James, 3 and 6 to Henri, and 4 and 5 to me. "When someone asks you a question, say something other than 'good' or 'nothing'. If you do not have much to say, ask a question. Conversations help move the conversation back and forth like a ball in a tennis match- only in the end, you are both winners," Sarah continued. "Now, let's move on to compliments. When you give compliments, speak from the heart with honest and positive comments, give specific details about what you like or liked, but do not expect a compliment back or add a 'but' statement after complimenting someone. When receiving compliments, accept compliments with a sincere thank you, give credit to a partner or partners if you receive a compliment on a group project, but do not agree in a bragging way or disagree or cut yourself down when receiving a compliment," Sarah informed us. "I must admit, though, that Nathan and I were both terrible at giving each other compliments!" She then gave some examples on both compliments she gave and compliments she received as a teenager. We discussed how the compliments she gave could have been better and how she could have responded to Nathan's comments better. "I would also like to talk with you about 3 important types of body language: smiling, making eye contact, and relaxing your arms," Sarah continued. "Nothing makes a person feel more relaxed when he or she meets you than a welcoming smile. A smile tells a person that you have confidence in yourself. Looking someone in the eyes tells that person that you are interested in knowing him or her better. If you are not looking at the other person, he or she may think you are bored or want to be somewhere else. As soon as someone walks up, relax your arms. If you fold your arms across your chest, you might send a signal that says you want that person to stay away from you. If you place your hands on your hips, you might look impatient or unfriendly." "Wow, Sarah!" I remarked. "You are such a great teacher to us!" "Thank you, Angel," Sarah stated. "That means a lot to me." Sarah also showed us some home videos on the conversation that she had with James's new girlfriend, Betsy about cats, and how Nathan did in a general conversation with Sarah studying for her test. We also watched some episodes of _The Big Bang Theory_ , which was one of Sarah's favorite TV shows, that regarded small talk. "Sarah, what if I asked you 5 questions on small talk about your favorite fruits and vegetables?" I asked. "Which are..." Sarah replied. "What are your top 3 favorite fruits and vegetables? What is your favorite green vegetable? What is your favorite way to cook green beans? What is your favorite color of potatoes? What is your favorite citrus fruit?" "Wow, Angel, you don't remember the answers to any of those questions?" Sarah asked me. "No, I don't," I replied. "Number 1 is broccoli, celery, and carrots for vegetables and grapes, bananas, and apples for fruits, number 2 is broccoli, number 3 is steamed, number 4 is red, and number 5 is oranges," Sarah told me. Pretty soon, it was time for me to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Privacy

On a hot first Saturday of October 2018, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me at my mom's apartment in Highland Park. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Gee, why is it so quiet in this apartment?" James asked. "What do you mean?" I asked. "You said that you were going to throw a wild party from 7 pm to 10 pm," Henri stated. "Where are the food, decorations, and music?" "I have some bad news for you guys," I stated. "There is no party tonight. I just made that up to deceive you guys into thinking that you guys were coming to a wild party, since I saw a "softie" teddy bear at this apartment earlier. The truth is, my mom is away on a trip to Oregon and I have the apartment all to myself for 2 weeks." "Wow, what do you think of that, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "It feels great to have all this privacy," I stated. "And, that is something that I would like to talk with you guys more about... privacy!" "What do you want to talk with us about, Angel?" James asked me. "I want to know if it is okay to share everything," I explained. "Again, what do you mean by that?" Henri asked. "Do you share every bit of information you know, with everyone you know?" I asked. "Why or why not?" "No, because people don't need or want to know my personal business," Sarah replied. "Oversharing can lead to dangerous situations, like sharing that you are out of town," James added. "People can use what you have shared with them against you," Henri chimed in. "What types of things are okay to share with everyone?" I asked. "Your hobbies or your favorite things," Henri replied. "Your birthday or your job," Sarah added. "What college you went to or go to or what area of Pittsburgh you live in," James added. "Good," I replied. "Now, what things should we keep more private?" "Not your actual address," James replied, "for example, 507 Shady Avenue. That is rather personal." "What medications you might take or your political views," Henri chimed in. "Definitely not if someone is out of town or fantasy stuff," Sarah added. "Okay," I replied. "What happens if you share personal information with people you are not close with?" "It can lead to dangerous situations, where people make fun of us, and it can lead them away," Henri replied. "Now, what happens if you share private or personal information someone else told you with other people?" I asked. "People can get angry, causing them to not want to share things with you or trust you anymore," James replied, "and you might also embarrass your friend." "People might cut off their ties with you, and you might get revenge, and it could create gossip, which might not even be the right information," Sarah added. "Okay then," I agreed. "Now, what about social media?" I asked. "I don't know, what about social media?" James asked. "I'm asking you about some things that are okay to share on social media," I told everyone. "You could share certain pictures maybe right after you are home from the event, or your general information, like your name, date of birth, and where you are from," James replied. "You could share your interests or hobbies or current events, and could also invite certain backlash and opinions," Sarah added. "How about things like your new dog or pet pictures, or emojis or icons?" Henri asked. "Sure, Henri," I replied. "Now, what are some things you should not share on social media?" I asked. "You should not share bullying remarks, trigger videos, your current location, or bathroom habits," Sarah replied. "You should not share family members, gossip, other people's business, or risky pictures," James added. "You should also not post everything you are doing, spoilers, cryptic messages, and you cannot always be complaining," Henri chimed in. "You should never share pictures of your friends, but if you do, always ask before you post," James stated. "I have a picture of my friend, Samantha Shay, on Facebook, and I got her permission before I posted the picture." "Now, tell me about a time when someone shared something too personal with you. How did you feel and how did you react?" I instructed my friends. "When I snuck out into Molly's Sweet 16 party, I introduced myself to Molly, the hostess, and she told me that her parents were out of town, I felt scared and shocked, so I called James for help," Sarah told us. "When I was handing out candy to kids on Halloween, one little kid told me his exact address, and he lived 3 houses down from our old house. I was confused and embarrassed at the situation, so I ended up talking to the little boy's dad," James told us. "Okay, now how about when you shared something too personal with others. How did they react and how did you feel?" I asked. "Since Molly told me her parents were away, I got back at Molly by telling her that Henri was with a baby-sitter, and I snuck out," Sarah stated. "Molly felt ashamed and insecure. I felt regret for getting back at Molly." "I told the little kids what our kitchen was like and the kinds of goodies we kept inside," James stated. "The little kids rushed away from the house, and I felt unsuccessful with that attempt." "Now, for a quick reference, some topics I can share with just me include fantasy stuff and things I do in the bathroom. I would share things like my home address and vacation with my immediate family. I would share things like my age and birthday with my close friends. With other friends and relatives, I would share hobbies and family traditions. With people I know, I would share what is going on and make remarks on what they are wearing. Finally, with anyone, I can share things like current events and the weather," I told everyone. "That was a great lesson on privacy!" Sarah remarked. "Thanks, Sarah," I remarked. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Now, do you guys still want that party you are asking for?" I asked. "Would you guys like some fried chicken for dinner?" "Fried chicken?" Henri asked. "What about pizza?" "Yeah, especially since we didn't bring any leftover pizza home from Pizza Perfectta," James added. "I wanted some pizza like they had at Molly's Sweet 16 party," Sarah added. "Well, you're not getting any pizza, guys," I told my friends, "so just deal with it." For dessert, I served carrot cake. "Didn't you say you were serving us ice cream sundaes, or something like that?" Henri asked. "No, that ice cream was just for me and the teddy bear," I replied. "Will you stop talking about a teddy bear for once, Angel?" Sarah asked. "Yeah, it is just like the story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf," James agreed. "Can you at least serve strawberry cake instead of carrot cake like at Molly's Sweet 16 party?" Sarah asked. "What is your fascination with that party, Sarah?" James asked. "You and Angel were not invited." "Angel deceived us about a wild party," Sarah stated, tearfully. "I'm sorry, Sarah," I stated in a dreary tone of voice. "I guess I better call one of Mom's friends, Pamela or Sally, to help me out with this whole "Teddy Bear" situation, since Mom said I could call either one of them if things went wrong." "I know what would help," James stated. "Can I at least play some music that I gave to the kids while handing out candy?" "Oh, James, you are such a genius!" Sarah cried happily. "Yes, you are," Henri agreed. "Please turn on the music now." James turned on some Halloween music. "Speaking of Halloween, the Glass Center is hosting a pumpkin carving event with a free ice cream sundae bar," James added. "That sounds like fun, but I might want to go bowling at Arsenal Bowling Lanes with Carly and Alex, since that is what we do every Halloween," I told my friends. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great evening, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Apologizing

On a cool second Saturday of October 2018, I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Shadyside. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Did you eat breakfast yet, Angel?" James asked. "Are you still hungry?" "Yes, I ate breakfast, and yes, I am still hungry," I replied. "Well, that's good," James stated. "Because I have cheese and juice for us to eat for a snack today!" "Yum, cheese and juice is yummy in the tummy," Henri stated. "I have Swiss cheese, asiago cheese, blue cheese, camembert cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and ricotta cheese," James told us. "Do any of those cheeses sound yummy to you?" "I just said that these are yummy in the tummy," Henri stated. "Weren't you listening, James?" "Okay, Henri," James agreed. "I'm sorry that I wasn't listening to you." I noticed that Sarah, James, and Henri wore nice clothes. "You guys look nice today," I remarked. "What are you all dressed up for?" "Can we tell her later, James?" Sarah asked. "What's wrong, guys?" I asked. "Are you guys going to a funeral, or what?" "I'm sorry, Angel," James replied. "Why, James?" I asked. "What do you have to be sorry about? And why do you keep saying that you are sorry?" James took a deep breath. "It's a long story, guys," James told us. "The truth is, it has been almost 4 months since I turned 30 years old, and at times... I just feel like a big jerk." "You're not a jerk, James," I pointed out. "You just do stupid things sometimes, and Sarah, Henri, or I almost always have to save you." "Sometimes, it's just hard being the oldest son," James admitted. "I don't always feel like the responsible young man I should be, especially when Dad is not here." "What are you talking about, James?" Sarah asked. "We think you're a great older brother to have." "Yeah, you really are," Henri agreed. "This all leads up to what I want to talk with you guys about today- apologizing!" James told us. "I would personally define apologizing as expressing regret for something that one has done wrong. What would you guys define apologizing as, in your opinion?" "Telling someone that you are sorry for having done something that has caused problems or unhappiness for them," I replied. "Making excuse for or regretful acknowledgement of a fault or offense," Sarah added. "Making a formal defense or justification in speech or writing," Henri chimed in. "There are 4 easy steps for creating an apology. First, express remorse, as every apology needs to start with two magic words: "I'm sorry", or "I apologize". Next, admit responsibility for your actions or behavior, and acknowledge what you did, then make amends, and then promise that it will not happen again," James informed us. "That's easy to do, James," I admitted. "Now, I have some apology letters from my teenage years to tell you guys about," James continued. "Here is how to write an apology letter. Say you're sorry, excluding "I'm sorry, but...", own the mistake since it is important to show the wronged person that you are willing to take responsibility for your actions, describe what happened, have a plan, admit you were wrong, and ask for forgiveness." James showed me some apology letters regarding his former girlfriend, Sybil being late picking him up and driving him to school one morning, apologizing to his principal for being late to school on School Picture Day, and even one of Sarah's apology letters to her former boyfriend, Benedict for freaking out on School Picture Day when he was only trying to help her look decent. "And the truth is... we STILL are not married yet!" James expressed in an angry tone of voice. "James, can you buckle down for a second and continue speaking to us?" Sarah asked. "Yeah, we want to hear more about your stories with apologizing," I agreed. James took a deep breath, recovering from his anger. "Now that I have gotten anger out of my system, here are 5 sure tips to mend a friendship: talk it out with your best friend, don't get defensive, ask what you can do, be willing to admit you're wrong, and if you're truly sorry about something you did that hurt your friend, you need to apologize, and then give it time," he then informed us. "At least you still have us, James," Henri pointed out, "and we are your _family_!" "You know what they say, friends come and go..." Sarah stated. "But, family is forever," I added. "Oh, but anger can separate family members, too, not just friends," James pointed out. "When anger separates family members, you have to see his or her side, send the right kind of letter, acknowledge without agreeing, transition gently to your viewpoint, and defuse future missteps in advance," he continued. "My top 5 personal favorite ways to apologize include expressing regret, accepting responsibility, making restitution, expressing the desire to change behavior, and requesting forgiveness," James concluded. "That was a great lesson on apologizing, James!" I remarked. "Thanks, Angel," James replied. "Now again, what are you all dressed up for?" "Should we tell her, James," Sarah asked, "or should we wait?" "Okay, okay," James gave in. James sighed. "We're dressed up today because we're going to volunteer at a food bank at the Jewish Family and Community Services building in Squirrel Hill, and there is also a memorial service for Mac Miller before then." My eyes began to widen. "What?" I asked in a shocked tone of voice. "WHAT?" "We're just going to do some volunteer work, Angel," Sarah reiterated. "But, I thought we were going to do this together!" I cried, bursting into tears. "Why didn't you tell me you were going to do this?" "I'm sorry, Angel," James apologized. "It's just that..." "You betrayed me!" I angrily cried before beginning to break down. "And, we're taking the cheese and juice with us," James continued. "But, that was our snack!" I cried out. Pretty soon, it was time for me to leave. "Thanks for a great day anyway, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Asking For What You Want and Expressing Difficult Emotions

The third Saturday in October 2018 was cool when my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri met me and my mentor, Jenna at Jenna's apartment in Point Breeze. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Why did I see you guys driving down Braddock Avenue just now?" Jenna asked. "Yeah, why did you?" I asked. "Were you just playing at the park, or what?" "No, Angel," James replied. "We were _volunteering_ there." "What did you say?!" I asked in a shocked tone of voice. "Well, uh, it's nothing, exactly," James stuttered. "But, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy had us..." "Oh no, not again!" I cried, bursting into tears, and then running away. "What is wrong with Angel?" Jenna asked. "She was really looking forward to us doing volunteer work together on Saturdays, but the problem was we had already gotten all these offers, and we never got the chance to tell her," Sarah explained. "Well, I have a great idea for volunteer work that you guys can do together if you are interested," Jenna suggested. "Well, have Angel come in and we can tell her then," Sarah suggested. I sat in the bedroom I occasionally shared with Jenna and Jill, crying. I heard a knock on the door. It was Sarah. "Is everything okay, Angel?" Sarah asked me. "No, Sarah," I explained tearfully. "Everything is not okay. You, James, and Henri betrayed me about volunteering. I don't want to be friends with you guys anymore now because of that." I cried heavily again. "Aw, Angel, we're sorry," Sarah sympathized. "We just got these offers at the last minute and didn't tell you about them." "Well, you should have checked with me first," I stated in tears. "This is not the way to treat a friend." Sarah and I came back into Jenna's living room. "Is everything okay, Angel?" Jenna asked. "Angel is fine, Jenna," Sarah stated. "Did you guys eat dinner yet?" Jenna asked. "Actually, we got a free dinner at Park Pizza and Cream," Henri explained, licking his lips. "One of my favorite restaurants to go to!" "Jenna and I are going to eat rice bowls," I explained. "Angel, we still want to be your friends," Sarah explained to me. "It's just that sometimes you want too much from us. There are better ways to ask for what you want, you know." "Like how?" "First of all, it is important to ask for what you want so others can help you, but first, you need to choose a good place and time to talk, and then pair confident body language and a good attitude with a calm voice and the right words," Sarah explained. "Here are some situations I can think of from when I was a young teenager: When the man at the movie concession stand looked scary, but I wanted to order, I stated that I would like a small popcorn and a lemonade, please, when I disagreed with the grade I have received, and I wanted to talk to my teacher about it, I said, 'Mr. Howes, I am confused by my grade. I thought I did the assignment exactly as you asked. Can you show me where I went wrong?' When my friends started talking about a classmate they disliked, but I thought they were being unfair, I stated, 'I am not cool talking about this. Let's change the subject.' When I kept getting into trouble in class because a friend would not stop talking to me, I stated, 'Allie, I do not want to get in trouble, so I am not going to talk during class. Unless we get some free time, I will talk to you at lunch.' And, finally, Angel was with me on this one: The day I wanted to choose my own hairstyle at the salon so that I did not end up with the same old look, I thanked Mom for taking me to get my hair done, and told her that I would really like a change, and asked her if we could look at a different style," Sarah stated. "I remember that day very well," I stated. "You also French braided my hair and painted my nails that exact same day!" "I sure did," Sarah stated. "I really do like you, Sarah," I remarked. "You are one of my best friends in the whole wide world!" "That's very nice to hear, Angel," Sarah remarked. "You're one of my best friends, too." Sarah and I hugged each other. "I had to build my case with Mom about this, too," Sarah continued. "How did you do that?" I asked. "Well, I listed the pros and cons of the issue, including the facts and my feelings, imagined all the problems Mom might see, found solutions to those problems, and brought them with me, chose a good time and a quiet place to talk, and asked Mom to meet then to hear me out, and presented the list to Mom, but I did not ask for a decision. I just asked Mom to think about my request, and then I asked Mom for a specific time to check back with her for an answer. However, I was patient for that answer because bugging my mom would only hurt my case." "You must have really wanted a brand new hairdo, Sarah," Jenna remarked. "Did you ever think about compromising?" "Sometimes, but I do know a lot about compromising," Sarah told us. "It is like how in kindergarten when we learned our colors. I loved red and James loved blue, but when we colored them together, we made purple. And, compromising is like that- we took two or more ideas and combined them to create a brand-new idea that everyone could agree on." Sarah paused for a moment. "I had to compromise with everybody about a lot of things- my mom about wanting to stay up late and winning the soccer match, my brothers about privacy in my room, and my one friend about wanting to go outside and play, and my other friend about playing at recess." "It seems like you guys all still love each other very much," Jenna stated. "Now, let's talk about expressing difficult emotions," Sarah stated. "I had a boyfriend named John Paul once, and I was angry at him for making fun of me for not wanting to see a movie I did not want to see, sad for him because his parents died and he did not have anybody else to help him out, and embarrassed because he was taking me to see an R-rated movie, which I was way too young to see." "Was John Paul not a good boyfriend for you, Sarah?" Jenna asked. "Of course not, Jenna," Sarah replied. "John Paul was a horrible boyfriend for me." "Jenna and I did not have much fun bowling at Brunswick Zone Playmor Bowl with the Mifflins this week, because we were so worried about Jill dealing with the suspension of her favorite boyfriend, Leonard, as he made poor choices with using drugs and alcohol, and we didn't bowl as well as we normally do," I explained to Sarah. "Oh, dear," Sarah remarked. "Anger, sadness, and embarrassment are definitely not fun feelings to have." "No, they're not," Jenna agreed. "About anger, we all react differently when our feelings are hurt- some of us yell, run and hide, or burst out crying. These strong emotions need attention. But, saying the wrong thing could make the situation worse. When our feelings are hurt, it is best to step back, think the situation through, and then decide the next, best step," Sarah informed us. "What do you do when you are fuming mad?" "I would call my mom and complain," I replied. "I would remove myself from the situation and then shut down without communicating," James added. "I would get aggressive," Henri chimed in. "I would vent or use road rage," Jenna pointed out. "Let's move on to sadness. Sad times happen in life. They just do. But you can help friends and family through their sadness by being there. 'Being there' can mean different things, like offering a plate of cookies or a hug, or taking the person's mind off of her sadness or listening while she pours her heart out. What is most important is that you follow her lead and offer comfort when you can," Sarah explained. "What are some good and bad things to say to a grieving person?" "I can think of some good things to say: 'How could I help?' or 'At least, there's no physical or mental suffering anymore,'," I replied. "The book lists sayings like 'You are in my thoughts and prayers', 'I am so sorry,' 'I am here if you need me,' and 'I remember when I first met your brother. We were at your house and...' as good things to say to a grieving person," Jenna pointed out, "and sayings like 'At least she is in a better place now,', 'Try not to think about it,', 'Things happen for a reason,', and 'You are being really strong. I do not think I could handle it.' as bad things to say to a grieving person." "Oh, okay," Sarah stated. "I get it now." Sarah paused for a moment. "And finally, embarrassment. Eventually, you will do something embarrassing- everybody does. You will trip, drop something, or say the wrong thing. If you draw attention to the mistake, people will notice (when probably no one would have noticed before!). So do not make a big deal about your mistake, and most likely others will not either," Sarah explained. "What do you do when you freeze up?" "I keep talking," I replied. "I act like it never happened and try to use humor," James added. "I 'um' a lot," Henri chimed in. "I just laugh about it and walk away," Jenna pointed out. "Now, what exactly happened with Jill?" Sarah asked. "Jill is too angry, sad, and embarrassed to talk to anybody anymore," Jenna explained. "Speaking of which, what is your idea for volunteering?" Sarah asked. "Well, the youngest Mifflin daughter, Samantha, is going to have a Mexican fiesta-themed slumber party on November 10, and we need help with the refreshments and the crafts," Jenna told us. "Do you think you guys could be interested in helping us?" "Sure," Sarah replied. "We would love to help out." "Great!" Jenna replied. "And if you like helping out with this slumber party, then we could possibly throw some more slumber parties once a month next year and we would need your help with them." Jenna printed out a list of slumber parties for each month of the year in 2019. They were all great ideas for things that Sarah, James, Henri, and I could volunteer with. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Reassurance to Friends and Family

The last Saturday of October 2018 was cool and wet when I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Shadyside. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "We're so sorry about how we treated you the past few weeks," James admitted. "Do you forgive us?" "Of course," I replied. "Good, because we still want to be your friends," Sarah agreed. "We got some good food back from the food pantry," James told me. "Cobb salad with 6 different kinds of pastas." "And, pumpkin squares for dessert," Sarah added. "Did somebody say pasta?" Henri asked. "I love pasta. What kinds do we have?" "Well, Henri, we have all of your favorites: medium egg noodles, long ziti noodles, tortellini, fettuccine, farfalle, and orzo," James replied. "Mmm, this looks like a yummy lunch to have," I remarked. We all sat down at the table to eat lunch. "Now, we have some big news for you," James told us. "What's the news?" I asked. "Why don't we wait until after our discussion, and then we can talk about it, okay?" Sarah asked. "Okay," I replied. "Before I move ahead to the big news, there is something major that I would like to talk with you guys about: relationship maintenance," James told us. "Relationships require work which involves verbal and nonverbal communication. There are positive and negative relationship maintenance behaviors. The positive behaviors include assurance, openness, positivity, social networks, and shared tasks. The negative behaviors include jealousy, avoidance, spying, infidelity, destructive conflict, and allowing control," James continued. "Obviously, you should engage in more positive and less negative behaviors." "Obviously," I agreed. "Now, there are two different kinds of relationship maintenance: routine and strategic maintenance. Routine maintenance are things you do unintentionally and are part of everyday exchanges that maintain a relationship, while strategic maintenance are things that are done with the goal of maintaining a relationship," James continued. "What are some of your routine and strategic behaviors with family or friends?" "I can think of a few routine behaviors, like how you guys communicated with me on my 15th birthday and how you tried to treat me the day that I had a hard time dealing with my old boyfriend, Benedict getting suspended," Sarah replied. "Can you remember any strategic behaviors from those 2 days?" I asked. "Well, I tried to make sure that you also had a very special and fun day on your birthday, Sarah," James replied, "by getting you a few awesome presents, along with a delicious cake in your favorite flavor." "Hey, what about my special present for you?" I asked. "Remember the charm bracelet?" "Oh, right," Sarah remembered. "As for your tough situation with Benedict, I tried to invite you to do things together and hang out with us, but you were just too grumpy and grouchy and you wanted to be by yourself most of the time," James continued. "I did not like you or want to be around you with the way you were acting, Sarah," I pointed out. "And, I was very upset and frustrated with that because you are one of my best friends and are easy to talk to most of the time." "Let's think about how satisfied we are with our relationships. Are you putting in more effort than the other? Are you lacking in effort? How can you have a good balance? Think about the positive characteristics already present, like assurance, openness, positivity, social networks, and shared tasks. What is lacking?" James asked. "To tell you the truth, James, I used more routine behaviors than strategic behaviors when I interacted with you as a teenager," Sarah stated. "I hate to say this, but I did, too," Henri agreed. "Sometimes, I don't think before I talk and I get into trouble." "The only reason I act like a "Negative Nancy" sometimes is because I want my life to be perfect, and..." Sarah sighed. "It just doesn't work out." "Nobody's perfect, Sarah," I reassured my friend. "I was not always perfect at bowling last week, and neither was Jenna, remember?" "Didn't you say something about Jenna's younger sister experiencing the exact same problem that I did when I was her age?" Sarah asked. "Yes, Sarah," I replied. "Jill had a drunken boyfriend, and he was unfortunately suspended from school, just like Benedict was." "What was his name again?" Sarah asked. "I forget." "Leonard," I replied. "Don't forget to communicate using language, too," James added. "What exactly does that mean, James?" I asked. "If both parties are committed to keeping a good relationship, talk about your issues and remember to be mindful of nonverbal cues," James explained. "I currently maintain relationships with you guys by looking after you guys and making sure that you are all okay, I feel like I am too under-benefitted, however, since I can be too strict, sometimes, and I get too bossy and uptight when things do not go my way. My routine behaviors are consistently communicating with you guys every day, whether they be a special occasion, or not, and my strategic behaviors are always making sure that everyone has a fun and structured activity to do every day." "Now, what was the big news that you wanted to tell us, James?" I asked. "Well, you remember how the Children's Institute turned us down at the interview this week?" James asked. "Yes," I agreed. "Well, we all got job offers to work for Creative Citizens Studio, and we will be teaching art classes on Saturdays at home, if you guys are interested," James continued. "But, what about our weekly discussions?" I asked. "And, volunteering for Sam Mifflin's slumber party 2 weeks from today?" "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we won't have time for those now," James stated. "So, would you like us to give you some art lessons instead?" "Absolutely," I replied. "I would like to give an art lesson on how to make delicious pumpkin squares like Sarah made." "Well, our first lesson would be on animals," James informed us, "since that is what the topic is right now!" "Oooh, that sounds like fun!" I exclaimed. "Can some of my other friends come, too?" "Sure," Sarah replied. "You know, like Jenna and her sister or Carly and her parents. I would say Alex and her guy friends if Alex did not have to work on Saturdays," I told everyone. "Yes, we know who you are talking about, Angel," Sarah agreed with me. "I say that we are all friends again now because of this," I told everyone. We all hugged each other. Pretty soon, it was time for me to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Fish Stick and Blueberry

One cool first Saturday of November 2018, I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Shadyside. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "We have a surprise for you," James told me. "What is it?" I asked. "Let's eat breakfast first and I will tell you afterwards," James told us. Breakfast was waffles. "Mmm, I love these waffles!" Henri exclaimed, taking a stack and gobbling them down. "I guess Henri is especially excited to see the surprise," I stated. James then brought in a towel with something underneath. He slipped off the towel. "Ta-da!" he exclaimed. The surprise was a tank with two fish in them. "Oooh, fish!" Henri exclaimed. "The fish are so pretty, James," Sarah remarked. "What are their names?" I asked. "The orange fish is named Fish Stick and the blue fish is named Blueberry," James told us. "We are going to draw a picture of these guys using a drawing utensil of our choice." Sarah and I drew with colored pencils, James drew with Sharpie markers, and Henri drew with crayons. "This kind of reminds me of the game Go-Fish," Henri stated. "You know, one of the games that we played together when you baby-sat me." "Sarah, do you think that if we had fish as pets back in the day, you would have been able to take care of them along with Angel and Henri?" James asked. "Well, Henri just said that we played Go-Fish, so that may be the case," Sarah agreed. "What about Uno?" I asked. "That's not really a card game dealing with fish, Angel," Sarah pointed out, "but yes, we did play that game!" "Would the fish have loved the house party you threw when you came back, James?" Henri asked. "Probably," James replied. We finished drawing our pictures. "How this job works for us is that we submit the pictures to the Union Project in Highland Park for approval, and if our bosses like it, we submit them to the Toonseum in downtown Pittsburgh, and that is where we get paid," James explained. "Taking care of fish is also a big responsibility," Sarah pointed out. "You have to feed them every day and make sure their fish tank is clean." "Do you think that we could get a job taking care of animals?" Henri asked. "Well, we did do some volunteer work at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium earlier this fall," James pointed out, "so it's a possibility." "I think these art classes would be easier to teach if we had some friends with us," Sarah admitted. "When do Carly and her parents start coming?" "They will be here the weekend after next," I replied. "Thanks," Sarah replied. "That's all I needed to know!" "Those two fish would have loved your party, James," I told my male friend. "Speaking of parties, don't we still have something going on next weekend at the Moser-Mifflins' apartment in Point Breeze?" James asked. "Yes, we do," I replied. "We are going to help Jenna with the recipes, crafts, and decorations." "Oh, right," Sarah remembered. "That should be a lot of fun!" Pretty soon, it was time for me to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Volunteering for Samantha Mifflin's Party

One cold second Saturday of November 2018, I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at my mentor, Jenna's apartment in Point Breeze to help her younger neighbor, Samantha Mifflin get ready for her party. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Would you guys like a soda or anything to drink?" Jenna asked. "Of course," I replied. Jenna and I both got a soda to drink. "I love to help plan out people's birthday parties," Sarah stated. "And, I love to cheer people up on their birthdays when they are feeling sad," James added. "Kind of like how I got on my birthday, huh, James?" I asked my male friend. "Yes, Angel," James replied. "But, I was there to save you. I was right behind your back." "I enjoyed helping you get ready for the party, Sarah," Henri added. "We ordered pizza and ice cream cake and everything! Yum! Are we going to have foods like those at the party?" Henri licked his lips. "Not exactly," Jenna stated. "We are going to serve tacos, quesadillas, guacamole, corn chips and salsa, mango wedges, and chocolate birthday cake flavored with cinnamon. "Chocolate?" James asked. "That is my favorite flavor of cake." "And, quesadillas are one of my favorite Mexican foods," Henri chimed in. "So, can Sarah and I make the guacamole?" I asked. "Yes, Angel," Jenna replied. "Here is a guacamole recipe that I printed from the Internet." "Guacamole is good, but I prefer salsa since guacamole has quite a bit of fat inside of it," Sarah stated. "But, it's still a better condiment than sour cream or salad dressing. I really don't know since I don't eat a lot of Mexican food." "That's okay, Sarah," Jenna remarked. We began cooking and Jenna turned on some Mexican music to get us in the party spirit. Pretty soon, the young female neighbors, Abigail, Hannah, and Samantha came over to check up on what we were doing. "Good news, good news, good news!" Abigail exclaimed, jumping up and down. "What is it, Abby?" Jenna asked. "I got into Chatham University!" Abigail expressed with excitement. "Congratulations, Abby!" I remarked. "Wow, those girls are growing up so fast, aren't they, James?" Sarah asked. "Yes, they are, Sarah," James stated. "As a matter of fact, I felt nervous about getting into Carnegie Mellon University, but on the day of my high school graduation, I felt pleased to know the news!" "And then, all of us ended up attending Carnegie Mellon University," Henri added. "Out of curiosity, what were some other choices for her if she couldn't get into Chatham?" Sarah asked. "We considered the University of Pittsburgh, CCAC Boyce Campus in Monroeville, and Carnegie Mellon University as other possible choices," Jenna informed us. Abigail and Hannah decided to help out with the crafts and party games, while Sarah, James, Henri, and I transitioned to Mexican decorations. "Look at the piñata!" I exclaimed happily. "I have always loved playing the piñata game at my birthday parties as a kid," Henri stated. "Thanks for letting us help out, Jenna," James stated. "Yeah, we really appreciate it," Sarah agreed. "My friends also just saw all the possible choices for slumber parties that you guys could possibly host next year," I noticed. "Do you have an idea of which parties you would like to host?" "Well, I would like to host the Up-All-Night Neon Party in January, the Paint Party in May, the Stars and Stripes Carnival in July, and the Let it Snow Sleepover in December," Abigail told us. "And, I would like to host the Luck and Charms Party in March, the Sleepaway Glamp in April, the Bookworm Blast in September, and the Pumpkin Palooza in October," Samantha added. "What about you, Hannah?" Sarah asked. "What slumber parties would you like to host next year?" "I was thinking about hosting the Sweet Swap in February, the Around-the-World Extravaganza in June, the Sea Soiree in August, and the Forest Friends Fest in November," Hannah told us. "Well, we can't guarantee that you girls will be the ones hosting these parties, but we will just wait and see what happens," Jenna pointed out. "It all depends on when my meetings with these guys are and if I can make it in time," I added. "Remember that Jill will want to host some of those parties, too," Jenna added. Pretty soon, it was time for my friends to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


End file.
